A day after a director of Sai Pragati Assets and Properties Private Limited was arrested by the Crime Branch’s Economic Offences Wing, a man who was instrumental in exposing the fraud came under attack by unidentified miscreants at Kolathia area under Khandagiri Police limits on Sunday.
Anirudha Mohapatra, the victim, was on his way to his Khandagiri Plaza home when two bike-borne youths intercepted and started assaulting him.
Then one of them took out a sharp weapon and attacked Mohapatra who sustained injuries on his left hand when he tried to protect himself.
Mohapatra was key in bringing the matter to the forefront and mobilising investors against the fraud. In fact, about 10,000 investors are believed to have been duped by the firm of ` 500 crore. The matter is being investigated by CB following an order by the Orissa High Court.
In fact, Mohapatra was working as an independent business officer and had mobilised investors but when the firm started to cheat investors, he was among the first to lodge an FIR against the main promoters which prompted police to suspect that the attack may have been in vengeance.
“He himself has told police similar things,” an officer said. In fact, the first FIR at Capital Police Station had led to arrest of Debashis Mohanty, a key promoter of Sai Pragati while others were arrested later.
After the Crime Branch took over investigation, it made the first arrest on Saturday. A member of the board of directors, Ravi Shankar Nanda was held by the CB sleuths. Nanda was produced before a local court in this connection.